The film versions do the book no justice!
If you've seen either of the film versions and loved them, well you may not want to read the book because you'll never be able to watch the movies again. At least that's the way it was for me. I too loved (and still do like a bit) the version with Richard Chamberlain, which inspired me to read the book. What I found is that the only things they shared in common really was the name of the story and the characters. After Dantes escapes from the Chateu Dif (excuse my spelling), the story was COMPLETELY different in the book. I have to admit though, it is hard to think of Mondego without picturing Tony Curtis! I had trouble not seeing Richard Chamberlain as Dantes, even though his physical description in the book is drastically different (ie, clean shaven, with jet black hair in spite of his age).
I have to say I was thrilled when I heard they remade the movie a few years ago, and was subsequently appauled when I saw it. I mean, why is it Hollywood cannot take a priceless story and tell it the way it was written? It's infuriating for me to see my favorite stories butchered on the big screen (don't even get me started on what the movie "Troy" did to "The Illiad!").
Ok, enough ranting. I realize we are talking about the books, and not their movies. I have to say that The Count of Monte Cristo was one of the first "classic" books I read, and is still one of my favorites to this day. It is by far the ultimate story of revenge, one that I personally have never seen bested.